Portfolio



April 28, 1942. W R BUXTON 2,280,889

PORTFOLIO v Filed April 2, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 la l; i f l?) ILL j April 28,4 1942. ,w. R. BUxToN 2,280,889

` PORTFOLIO Filed April 2, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 iNv'EN-roR WIR/vzw? 50x70/v BY g- ,L

ATTMS Patented Apr. 28, 1942 PORTFOLIO Warner R. Buxton, Longmeadow, Mass.; Mabel Allen Buxton, Longmeadow, Mass., executrix of said Warner R. Buxton, deceased, assigner to Buxton, Incorporated, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,427

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in portfolios, primarily for pocket use, such as those which are constructed of leather or the like and adapted for carrying papers, checks, cards and the like in a wide variety of sizes.

The invention has for one object the provision in a portfolio of the class described of improvements in construction which enable the portfolio to be made very thin and flexible, and yet have a large carrying capacity.

The invention also has for an object the provision in a portfolio of one or more division strips positioned between a pair of superposed and interconnected members of the portfolio for the purpose of subdividing the space between such members and mounted in a novel manner to secure thinness, especially near the junction of said members, and to render the assembly flexible. The invention has for a further objectI the provision of a portfolio having a plurality of foldably connected parts and capable, when completely folded, of being carried in the pocket, said parts being unfoldable to open the portfolio to a plurality of positions and to different extents.

These and other objects will be better understood as the detailed description proceeds and they will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a portfolio embodying the invention, the portfolio being shown in one of its open positions;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the portfolio unfolded and completely opened;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the portfolio in closed position;

Figs. 4 and 5 are front and side elevational views showing the means for holding the portfolio in closed position;

Fig. 6 is a full-size fragmentary sectional plan view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a full-size sectional elevational view taken on the line 'l--l of Fig. 1;

Fig, 8 is a fragmentary front elevational view, taken similarly to Fig. 2 but showing more clearly the manner in which the division strips are mounted;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional plan views taken on the lines 9 9 and Ill-lll, respectively, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, illustrative of the mounting of the division strips; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the structure shown in Fig. 11.

Referring to these drawings;` the lportfolio which is made up from leather or other suitable flexible material, includes a body l5 foldable about its median line I6; side-closure members;

l'l foldably connected one to each side edge of the body l5; a plurality of division strips. I8` c arried by each closure member Il; and two bottom-closure members I9 preferably foldably connected to the lower edge of the body and disposed oneon each side of the line IB. The bottom closures lil are suitably aflixed to the side closures Il, preferably in a manner to enable each bottom closure to be quickly and conveniently secured to or disengaged from its side closure. For example, each bottom closure IS may have a tongue 2l] which is engageable in a slot 2i formed in the adjacent side closure l1, for the purpose of interlocking the two closures.`

The structure described affords a portfolio which may be folded into the compact closed condition shown in Fig. 3, suitable for carrying in the pocket. With the parts positioned as in Fig. 3, one may swing the two halves of the body l5y about the line lli into a common plane, opening the portfolio into the form shown in Fig. 1. AccessA may then be had from the top and from the inner side to the space between each side closure l1 and the body I5, and to the several pockets into which said space is subdivided by the. division strips I8. By withdrawing the tongues 2l) from slots 2|, the portfolio may be still further unfolded into the completely open condition shown in Fig. 2. The bottom closures i9 are swung downwardly and the side closures l1 are swung outwardly into the plane of the unfolded body l5, thus exposing the entire area of the body for the placement thereon of papers or articles of large size which could not be as easily inserted in place when the portfolio is in the partly open condition shown in Fig. 1. At the same time, additional pockets are uncovered and rendered accessible. Thus, pockets 23 which are formed on the inner face of each bottom closure IS are uncovered. Each pocket 23 is formed in any suitable way, as by a strip 24 secured along one side and two ends to its closure I9, leaving the mouth of the pocket confronting the line 25 about which the closure l swings in its folding and unfolding movements. As shown, one strip 24 has a window 2t therein. These pockets 23 are definitely closed and inaccessible when the portfolio is in the condition shown in Fig, l.

The application of the pieces 24 to the bottom closure members I9 has another purpose which is to stiffen them and make it more diiicult for them to bend along lines between the line and the base of tongue 2i). The bending of the closure members is in this way made to occur at or near the base of the tongue. The tongue may readily be withdrawn by inserting a finger in back of the closure member |91 and moving it forwardly. In so doing, the member I9 does not bend to any substantial extent except along the line Where the tongue is joined to it. Accidental disengagement of the tongues from their slots is minimized by this arrangement.

The portfolio, as above noted, may be doubled over along the line I6 into the form shown in Fig. 3. It may be securely held in this position by means of one of the bottom closure members I9. Such member is disengaged from its companion closure I1 and then swung rearwardly and upwardly against the outer wall of the body I5 as indicated in Fig. 5. Such wall has a slot 21 (Fig. 3) in whichthe tongue 2] may be engaged as shown in Fig. 4.

The division strips I3 are mounted in a novel and advantageous manner. Each set of these strips is fastened to and entirely supported by a side closure I1. The strips of each set are secured in any suitable way to their closure I1, as by the stitching represented at 23. The preferred way of mounting these strips is to fasten them along their bottom edges only to the bot- 5' tom edge of the closure which carries them. When the portfolio is opened in the manner shown in Fig. 2, each set of division strips will be swung outwardly with its carrier I1 into a position in which the strips may be moved vertically downwardly, swinging along the line 28, in order to gain complete access, when desired, to the spaces between these strips and between one of the strips and closure I1. Preferably also,

the inner edge of each strip I8 is spaced from the adjacent line 2g about which the side closure I1 folds relatively to the body I5. ln the arrangement shown (Figs. 6 and 8) the inner side edge of the outer division strip it is spaced outwardly away from line 29 and the inner side edge 3| of the other strip I8 is spaced outwardly to a greater degree so that it is spaced. outwardly from edge 30. These inner edges may be skived to make them very thin. This is indi cated in Fig. 6 but it must be remembered that the parts are shown much thicker than they normally are in order to secure clearness of illustration.

Preferably and as herein shown, each closure I1 is of less height than any of the division strips I8 that it carries. By so doing, an auxiliary support may be provided for these strips when the portfolio is closed as in Figs. 3 and 4, or partly open as shown in Fig. l. This auxiliary support is provided by shoulders 33, one on each division strip, which are engageable with the top edge of the adjacent closure I1 at or near the hinged connection 29 (Figs. 11 and 12). Thus, that portion of each strip IB which projects above the top of the closure I1 on which it is mounted, is made wider than the lower portion thereof so that its inner edge extends to the line 29 (Fig. 2). The shoulders 33 are thereby formed. Also, this arrangement makes the outer side edges of the several division strips coincide with the outer side edge of the closure I1 on which these strips are supported (Fig. l)

It should be particularly noted that the mounting of the division strips enables the portfolio to be kept thin at its side edges where the body CII and side closure members are joined. The connection between such members, being preferably integral as shown, avoids the use of a hard seam such as results from overlapped parts which are stitched together. The spacing or stepping olf of the edges of these strips, or more properly those portions of the strips, which lie between said members adjacent the line of connection between the sides of the members, avoids congestion in an area which is already restricted because of the convergence of the two members to their line of junction. The side edges of the portfolio may thus be kept thin as desired, and also very exible since nowhere along the length of the four superposed parts I5, I8, I8 and I'I are there any stitches or other kinds of joints which can destroy any of the flexibility of these parts. Papers can be inserted between these parts without being pinched between them near the joint at the outer side edge of the body and side closure members.

With the division strips thus supported to be entirely free from connection along both side edges and the top edge from any other parts of the receptacle, it is important to hold them from sagging and the projecting shoulder-forming parts of the division strip overlie and rest on the top edge of their side closure member at or near its junction with the body member. So too, these projecting parts preferably extend to said junction so that when the portfolio is positioned, as in Fig. 1, the exposed portions of the division strips have their outer edges lying flush with the connected outer side edges of the body and side closure members.

While the side closure members might be secured -directly to the body member along their lower edges, or the bottom closures permanently secured to .the side closures, the use of the bottom closure members, each with its easily-detachable connection to its side closure member is preferred. Not only do these bottom closure members enable the complete unfolding of parts and opening up of the portfolio with more free access to the paper-carrying spaces therein, but added flexibility is had. There is freedom for each side closure member to move upwardly or laterally to a certain extent because of the connection I9, 20 and 2| than would be possible if a rriore rigid connection such as stitching were us In use, the portfolio will usually be carried in the pocket and then it will be fold-ed up completely, as shown in Fig. 3. If desired to more securely hold the parts in this folded relation, one of the bottom closure members. may be moved to the position shown in Fig. 4 and there held by the engagement of its tongue in the slot 21 provided in the body member. When one wishes to place articles in or remove them from the portfolio, the two halves are unfolded to bring them into the same plane and into the relationship shown in Fig. 1. Access can then be had to most of the carrying space of the portfolio (eX,- cept for the pockets 23). However, for certain uses, such for example asv the placing of large papers in or the removal of them from the portfolio, the latter may be still further opened up into the position shown in Fig. 2. Here, the entire area of the body member is exposed and a large paper of about the same size as such member may be easily put in place. Papers of even larger area and folded up to nt within the confines of the portfolio may be laid in 4place very easily. For example, a paper long enough to cover the body and both of the exposed strips i8 might be laid in place, after which the division strips can be swung down on the ends of the paper to fold the same when the side closures are moved baci; into superposed relation with the body member. More complete access is also had to the spaces between the division strips and between each side closure member and the contiguous division strips-these strips being capable of being turned back as suggested in Fig. 8 for the purpose. Further access is also hadA to the pockets 23 which otherwise would be completely concealed and inaccessible.

The invention thus provides an improved pocket portfolio having ample carrying capacity and affording easy and complete access whenever required to all carrying space and yet retaining the desirable thin flat form and ready flexibility that is required for leather pocket receptacles.

What I claim is:

1. In a portfolio, ya body member foldable along its median line to superpose one half upon the other, a side closure member hingedly connected to one side edge of the body member and normally super-posed on one half cf the latter, a division strip located between said members and free from direct connection to the body member, said strip being mounted in superposed relation on the side closure, means for connecting said strip near its bottom edge to the side closure near the bottom edge of the latter and for yieldingly holding the strip in said relation, said strip being directly supported solely by said side closure, and means for connecting the body and side closure members to retain them in superposed relation and close the space between said members along the bottoms thereof.

2. In! a portfolio, a body member foldable along its median line to superpose one half upon the other, a side closure member hingedly connected to one side edge of the body member and normally superposed on one half of the latter, a plurality of division strips mounted between said side closure and body members and supported entirely by the side closure member, the lower edges of said strips being connected to the lower edge of said side closure member, said member and the division strips carried thereby being normally superposed on one half of said member but capable of being swung out of said relation and into the plane of the body member as an extension thereof, said strips having those edges which lie adjacent said side edge spaced from one another and from said side edge, a bottom closure member hinged to the bottom edge of the body member and normally overlapped with the side closure, and means for holding the overlapped portions of said side and bottom closures together, said means being conveniently releasable to release the engaged members and enable them to be swung out of superposed relation with said body member.

3. In a portfolio, a body member foldable along its median line to superpose one half upon the other, a side closure member hingedly connected to one side edge of the body member and normally superposed on one half of the latter, a division strip located between said members hingedly connected along its bottom edge to the bottom edge of the side closure, the edge of the division strip near the junction between said members being spaced from said junction to avoid pinching it between the members where they converge to said junction,

said strips projecting above the top of the side closure and having shoulder-forming projections which eX- tend outwardly to overlie and rest upon the upper edge of the side closure member near said junction, and means for holding the side closure in superposed relation with said body member and for closing the space between said members along the bottoms thereof.

4. A portfolio, comp-rising, a body ioldable about its median line to superpose one part thereof upon another, side closure members hingedly connected one to each of two opposite side edges of said body, a division strip carried by each closure and being hingedly connected to the bottom edge of said closure and supported solely thereby, bottom closure members hingedly connected to the bottom edge of the body and disposed one on each side of said median line, each bottom closure member overlapping a side closure member, and easily-releasable interengaging means in part o-n one and in part on the other of said members for holding them in overlapped relation.

5. A portfolio, having a body member foldable along its median line to enable one half to be superposed upon the other, a side closure member hinged along one side edge to one side edge of the body member, said members being normally superposed but capable of being swung along their hinged edges out of superposed relationship and into the same plane, a bottom closure member hingedly connected along its bot tom edge to the bottom edge of the body member and normally overlapped on the side closure member to hold the latter superposed on the body member, and interengaging means on said closure members for securing them together in a manner enabling easy disengagement, said botn tom closure being movable out of overlapped relation with the side closure and into overlapping relation with the outer face of said body member when the latter is folded on said median line, said face provided with means for interen` gagement with the means carried by the bottom closure for holding the latter to the body member.

6. A portfolio, having a body member foldable along its median line to enable one half to be superposed upon the other, a side closure member hinged along one side edge to one side edge of the body member, said members being normally superposed but capable of being swung along their hinged edges out of superposed relationship and into the same plane, a bottom clos ure member hingedly connected along its bottom edge to the bottom edge oi the body member and normally overlapped on the side closure member to hold the latter superposed on the body member, and a tongue on the upper edge of the bottom closure member, said side closure member having a slot in which said tongue is normally engaged, the bottom closure member being of greater stiffness than said tongue whereby in the act of disengaging the bottom closure from the side closure bending will occur near the junction of the tongue with the bottom closure rather than in the bottom closure itself.

7. A portfolio, having a body member folde able along its median line to enable one half to be superposed upon the other, a side closure member hinged along one side edge to one side edge of the body member, said members being normally superposed but capable of being swung along their hinged edges out of superposed relationship and into the same plane, a bottom closure member hingedly connected along its bottom edge to the bottom edge of the body member and normally overlapped on the side closure member to hold the latter superposed on the body member, a tongue `on the upper edge of the bottom closure member, said side closure member having a slot in which said tongue isV normally engaged, and reenforcing means secured to the inner face of each .bottom closure member, each such means forming with its bottom closure memberva normally concealed pocket accessible only by disengagement of the bottom closure from its side closure and unfolding of the bottom closure.

8, In a portfolio, a body member foldable along its median line to superpose one half upon the other, a side closure member connected along one side edge to one side edge of the body mem- 10 nected side edges of said members, and positioned between said members, being spaced from said connected edges, the portion of said edge of the division strip which is above the upper edge of the side closure member being extended to the 15 adjacent side edge of the body member.

WARNER R, BUXTON. 

